Right in the kisser: today's oral care packs a one-two
punch.

MANY CONSUMERS believe that brighter, whiter teeth make
one look younger, healthier, even savvier. For some,
prepping for a special occasion has come to include a new
outfit or hairstyle, day at a spa and even dental
procedures. And what once could only be done at a DDS
office has now taken shape in a variety of oral care SKUs
available at the neighborhood CVS.

According to a 2007 Packaged Facts report, "Oral Care in
the U.S.," there is an extensive overlap between categories
and segments in the industry. Marketers actively develop
and launch products positioned on multiple
attributes--i.e., mouthwash that improves breath while
removing tobacco stains or electric toothbrushes that
double as flossing agents.

Packaged Facts projects that the U.S. oral care market
will achieve relatively steady growth during 2006-2012,
finishing the period at nearly $8.9 billion at retail. The
total advance for 2006-2012 will be 17.6%, or more than
$1.3 billion. However, when the future of the overall
market is considered by category, only the projection for
the gum/mouthwash/breath freshener category can be
interpreted as truly positive. A lot has to do with a
multitude of flavor and ingredient options angled toward a
gourmand palette.

Flavor of the Month

Flavor has always been a staple in most oral care
products' marketability. Classic mint selections have given
way to a barrage of exotic, even fruity tastes in
toothpaste and mouth rinses. Tom's of Maine's chief
operating officer Tom O'Brien points to citrus blends,
vanilla and high-intensity flavor concepts like Colgate's
Max Fresh and Crest Expressions as the latest in flavor
trends for 2007.

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Dr. Simon W. Rosenberg, Center for High Tech Dentistry,
New York, NY, points to the basics as recent patient
preferences: "For polishing paste, it's been mint (90% of
his clients) or grape (10%)--no one seems to want the
bubblegum, chocolate, raspberry or other exotic
favors."

Some say that the naturals boom is broadening the
horizon in oral care formulas, as certain ingredients
feature health benefits. Dr. Harold Katz of Beverly Hills,
CA, founder of the California Breath Clinics and inventor
of the TheraBreath Oral Care System, tells HAPPI that while
mint has always been popular, marketers are seeing an
increasing demand for natural essential oils of mint like
peppermint and spearmint.

Dr. Katz also notes that traditional Eastern flavors
such as cinnamon, vanilla and clove are also gaining
popularity in oral care products, as they help to stimulate
saliva, which naturally keeps the breath fresh.

Ultimately, savory flavors may convince a consumer to
sample a product, says Dr. Katz. However, "we find that
consumers are now more educated and are mostly concerned
with results. So, if a mouthwash tastes great, but does not
eliminate bad breath, consumers will abandon it for what
really works."

All About Ingredients

While some may be drawn to oral care products based
strictly on flavor, other consumers are interested in what
the product can do for them--such as whitening, fresh
breath, cavity and tartar protection, or gingivitis
prevention delivered by an assortment of different
ingredients, notes Tonia Elrod, external relations manager
Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, OH. She says that P&G
offers such a wide selection of oral care products because
all of its products are specifically designed to meet unmet
consumer needs: "For example, a consumer who loves new
experiences and wants to make brushing fun might choose our
Lemon Ice or Vanilla Mint toothpaste, while a consumer who
wants to prevent gum disease might choose Crest Pro-Health
because of its proprietary Polyfluorite System."

Michael Apa, cosmetic dentist, Rosenthal Apa Group, New
York, NY, concurs that ingredients encourage the market to
sway toward select SKUs, as "consumers are buying oral care
products based more likely on ingredients than on flavors.
These consumers now look for an active bleaching
ingredient, hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide."

According to Dr. Apa, fluoride also is an important
component in the daily oral care routine: "Consumers have
suddenly realized that flouride is not meant to be used
twice a year in large doses. Most of the bestselling mouth
rinses are leaning away from alcohol base, which is bad for
gum tissue, and into the flouride base, which protects
teeth against cavities. Researchers have now discovered
fluoride can actually stop small cavities from getting
bigger."

Infused with fluoride or not, premium oral care
continues to dominate the market. "People are leaving the
alcohol-based, burning mouthwashes and sweet, flavored
toothpastes that were popular with their parents'
generation and are paying more attention to the quality of
their oral care products. They want all-natural
ingredients, non-irritating formulas, and effective
products that actually kill germs and reduce gum problems.
We are also seeing that consumers are being more faithful
to brushing and rinsing at night again. This is a terrific
development," says Dr. Katz.

Health and Wellness

The beauty and health worlds are more entwined than ever
before, as the mass market seeks to achieve outer beauty
from the inside out. An example is the March 2008 launch of
the new Crest Healthy Radiance Toothpaste System, a set of
daily toothpaste and weekly deep cleaning strips.

According to P&G, it is Crest's first and only daily
paste and weekly strip set designed to strengthen enamel
below the surface and deep clean to whiten teeth. The
system comes with a mint-flavored paste and eight weekly
strips (four upper, four lower) for weekly 30-minute
treatments and is geared toward the first-time consumer for
whitening strips.

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"People are taking a holistic approach to their wellness
routine more than ever before, recognizing the
health-beauty link," says David Dintenfass, associate
director of Global Whitening at P&G. "We developed
Crest Healthy Radiance for women who embrace the notion
that beauty starts with health from within."

Also in March, Crest Whitestrips is expanding its
formula options to include Crest Whitestrips Daily
Whitening + Tartar Protection. The new added ingredient,
pyrophosphate, binds to the surface of teeth to prevent
calcium and phosphate ions from forming together to build a
crystal that develops and forms tartar. The dual action
ingredients on the strip interact with teeth to provide a
two-part benefit available for the first time in a
five-minute teeth-whitening strip.

Fresh Breath

Novel technology delivers a whole new dimension of
freshness in today's oral care market. For example,
Colgate-Palmolive recently rolled out its Colgate Max Fresh
Toothpaste with Mini Breath Strips--touted as the first and
only whitening toothpaste infused with tiny breath
fresheners that dissolve in the mouth instantly upon
brushing.

"The vibrant colors and visible breath strips in the
toothpaste will truly stand out on shelf, telling the
consumer this is something new and different," said Suzan
Harrison, vice president and general manager, Colgate U.S.
Oral Care. "We're confident that once consumers try it,
they'll like it."

Another mouth-freshening brand to be found on the
mass-market shelves is Dr. Katz's TheraBreath. According to
the company, the exclusive, original formula debuted in
1994 and has been used by millions worldwide to solve the
problems of bad breath and unpleasant mouth taste. Due to
its success, Dr. Katz expanded on his original TheraBreath
Toothpaste and Oral Rinse products to address other problem
areas in personal care such as teeth whitening, the
clearing of tonsil stones, premium periodontal therapy
products and even bad breath treatment systems for
pets!

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"Modern chemistry now allows the blending of pure and
natural ingredients into pleasant tasting oral products,"
says Dr. Katz. "Years ago, it was nearly impossible to make
oral products without the addition of saccharin, detergents
and a wide range of foaming and coloring agents. Today, the
new leading-edge manufacturers in oral care use formulas
that include xylitol, proprietary natural oxygenating
compounds, aloe vera, essential oils and other natural
ingredients that taste great, are great for you, and get
the job done better than any of the products that have come
before."

The Green Wave

Packaged Facts reports that in the dental preparations
and gum/mouthwash/breath freshener categories, there has
been some confusion of the benefits of natural
formulations. Controversy has resulted devolving on two
ingredients--namely fluoride and sodium lauryl sulfate
(SLS).

The market research firm points to two major natural
brands-Jason and Tom's of Maine--that are now sold in
versions both with and without fluoride. As for sodium
lauryl sulfate, this foaming agent and surfactant also used
in shampoo, body wash and other personal care items, has
long been suspected as a carcinogen, notes Packaged
Facts.

"There have been several manufacturers who portray a
homemade or small town natural approach to dental
marketing," says Dr. Rosenberg of the Center for High Tech
Dentistry. "Most are made in large factories, just like the
national brands we see advertised everywhere. This is
probably best, in light of the recent cases of foreign made
toothpastes that contain toxic chemicals such as propylene
glycol and lead-contaminated components or tube
packaging."

Marketers' use of either substance in otherwise natural
or organic toothpaste, denture cleanser, mouthwash, floss
or other products may be motivated by the desire to reach a
wider audience, especially through the mass market, says
Packaged Facts. The above-mentioned brands, first made
widely available in the natural food/HBC channel, are now
often found alongside Colgate and Crest in supermarkets,
chain drugstores and mass merchandisers.

This spring, mass-market naturals company Tom's of Maine
will introduce a patent-pending new formula with the launch
of its Natural Clean & Gentle Care and Sensitive Care
toothpastes. According to the company, the Tom's research
team has discovered that the natural ingredient
glycyrrhizin, from purified licorice root, creates a
foaming action for dispersing ingredients in the mouth. The
Tom's of Maine formulas are rolling out in a variety of
function and flavor combinations: anti-cavity plus
whitening SLS-free fluoride toothpaste, anti-cavity plus
dry mouth soother SLS-free fluoride toothpaste, anti-plaque
plus whitening SLS-free, fluoride-free toothpaste and
anti-plaque SLS-free toothpaste.

Swedish cosmetics company Oriflame is making a foray
into the dental realm this spring with its first toothpaste
formula, Optifresh. Containing a combination of sea algae
rich in zinc, iron, calcium and phosphor that helps
"remineralize" tooth enamel, and fluoride which protects
teeth from acids known to cause cavities and tooth decay,
Optifresh is hoping to capture the attention of the
naturals consumer.

There are even eco-friendly toothbrushes in the
expanding oral care marketplace. After 10 years in the
making, Italian bath, body and hair care company Acca Kappa
is introducing its Bioceta line--a collection of
eco-friendly hairbrushes, combs and toothbrushes. The Acca
Kappa Bioceta Toothbrush uses natural bristles and is
derived from cotton.

A Bright Future?

Rather than promoting natural ingredients, dentists will
be touting the benefits of the natural look this spring.
Notes Dr. Apa: "A big trend of 2008 will be more natural
looking cosmetic dentistry. Not a bright white Hollywood
smile, but more natural and real."

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And the way to achieve a first-class grin is a daily
regimen, says Ms. Elrod of P&G: "We saw the first
examples of this trend in Fall 2007, when we launched two
new combinations of products: Scope White mouthwash, Crest
Extra White plus Scope toothpaste and Glide Extra White
plus Scope flavor floss for consumers who want the
confidence of white teeth and fresh breath; and Crest
Pro-Health Night toothpaste and Crest Pro-Health Night
rinse for consumers who want to wake up with a
healthier-feeling mouth."

Ms. Elrod also tells HAPPI that while the popularity of
health-focused products like Crest Pro-Health line will
continue to be a mainstay for 2008, marketers will also
explore products that combine health and beauty, as "this
trend is gaining popularity because consumers not only want
to feel good, they want to look good."

Marketers Bank on High-Tech Features for
Toothbrushes

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THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL product positioning for marketers
of oral care implements/appliances is high performance
based on advanced technology or design, notes Packaged
Facts. This applies to both manual and electric products,
as a marketer may tout a brush head's bristle contour or an
electric toothbrush's number of strokes per minute. "The
mechanical toothbrush manufacturers have introduced a
number of innovations," agrees Dr. Simon Rosenberg of the
Center of High Tech Dentistry. "The Ultreo, which uses an
Ultrasonic wave guide to direct bacteria-bursting pulses to
the teeth, seems to accelerate the whitening effects of
bleaching toothpastes, as reported by my wife and several
patients."

Dr. Rosenberg points to Philips Sonicare's latest
release as a noteworthy innovation. Philips Sonicare's new
UV Sanitizer is said to kill up to 99% of certain bacteria
on toothbrush heads. It uses ultraviolet (UV) clean light
technology in a 10-minute cycle to safeguard against
certain bacteria.

"Consumers want to do everything they can to establish
and maintain a healthy lifestyle." said Eric Grosgogeat,
vice president of marketing, Philips Sonicare. "Not only
are they taking meticulous care of their teeth and gums,
but they want to ensure that their toothbrushes are
clean."

Melissa Meisel

Associate Editor

Crest Still Leads in Toothpaste Sales

Procter & Gamble's Crest products continue to be at
the forefront of the toothpaste category, according to a
report from Information Resources, Inc. (IRI). Here are the
sales for the top 10 toothpaste brands in food, drug and
mass merchandisers for the year ended Nov. 4, 2007,
excluding Wal-mart stores. All dollar figures are in
millions.

The information contained in this web site is for the sole
purpose of identifying dental care or treatment which may be
available from a qualified dentist. This web site does not
offer any form of medical or dental advice.Simon W. Rosenberg,
D.M.D., does not represent, warrant or guarantee that
any specific treatment is appropriate to your present or
future dental needs.
Please contact a dentist or hospital if you are experiencing
dental pain or have a dental emergency.
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